30 Tips That Will Guarantee You A Stress-Free Christmas This Year

The festive season, despite all its blissful moments, can be a
stressful time. The days leading up to Christmas is often a frantic whirlwind.
You’re desperately trying to find those last-minute presents and do all the
finishing touches on the decorations.

But it can all be overwhelming if you aren’t managing your stress in a
healthy way. Too often this stress can spill over into your relationships and
everyday life – and even more so over the festive period.

1. Budgeting for Christmas

Christmas is often a stressful time because of all of the expenses
involved, from buying presents and decorations to groceries for the Christmas
meal.

Rather than letting it be a surprise at the end of the season, it can
be helpful to work out arough
budget and keep track of all your expenses. Try and keep the budget as
realistic as possible.

2. Christmas Gift Hacks

Sorting gifts can be a tedious task if you have a big family. It can
also be costly. To make things easier for you, consider only buying presents
for the children.

You can also choose to donate your time, expertise or experience,
whether it’s helping someone complete a task, assisting with their grocery
shopping, or accompanying them to a show. Experiences can often be more
meaningful than physical gifts.

If your family loves to read, another fun idea is to convince them to
pass around books that they have read once. That way, everyone will benefit
from each other’s recommendations without spending any money.

3. Shopping for Christmas
Presents

Make a list of all the Christmas Gifts you want to buy
beforehand. The earlier you do this, the better.

You can save time by shopping online and having the gifts delivered.
If you’re going to the mall, download a map or familiarize yourself with the
general layout of the stores. Pick your timing wisely so you’ll be able to beat
the festive season crowds!

4. The Hidden Cashier

Stores usually have courtesy counters or service desks that are happy
to check out your packages.

They are usually placed at the back of the store so you might not even
know that they’re there. That’s fine though – as it means nobody else does
either and there’ll be a shorter queue.

5. Enjoy Yourself!

Make sure that you aren’t doing anything you strongly dislike. If
that’s the case, you can also delegate the task to one of your family members
to do it for you (which we’ll explore in more detail below).

Take the time to do the things that matter most to you. After all, the
aim is to create minimum stress for you and everyone around you.

6. Be Prepared for the
Unexpected Guest

Always buy a fewextra
small gifts or chocolates for unexpected guests who might
come bearing presents or for anyone you may have forgotten.

7. Tips for Gift Wrapping

Don’t bother with the hassle of wrapping each individual gift by
yourself.

Rather than wasting your time doing this, you can pay a small fee at
the store or online shop to gift wrap the item for you. Better yet, find a
charity booth at the mall. It’s a great way tocontribute
to society and get your chores done at the same time!

If you’d prefer to do it yourself, you can get creative with the
wrapping. Save money by wrapping the gifts in old newspaper and colorful
ribbons!

8. Keep Your Decor Simple

Save time by sticking to monochrome color schemes for your
decorations, or perhaps just choosing two colors, such as red and green.

Don’t overdo it by trying to accomplish an elaborate decor scheme!
Simpler is better.

9. DIY Decorations

It’s much more affordable to create your own decorations – and it’s
pretty easy to do! You can use anything you can get your hands on, from paper
chain bunting to spray-painted pine cones.

Let your children’s imagination run wild by letting them make DIY
stockings. Or just simply wrap old books with colorful ribbons and use them to
decorate the house.

10. Hoard the Gift-Wrapping Supplies

Even if you’re getting external help with the gift wrapping, always be
prepared for an ‘emergency wrapping session’. It happens to the best of us.

Always buy extra gift wrap as you don’t know when you might need it.
You can always use it next year.

If you plan well enough in advance, you can buy gift wrap earlier in
the year when it’s cheaper (they hike the prices over Christmas!) or wait until
it goes on sale after the festive season.

11. Drop the High-Stress Traditions

Traditions are a great way to keep the festive spirit alive. But if
traditions become a snooze fest or you have to force your children to take
part, it might be time to put them to rest.

Remember, Christmas is more about the quality time spent doing
something the whole family enjoys.

12. Important or Urgent?

Manage your time by deciding what’s important or urgent – it’s one of
the most challenging tasks during the holidays!

Focus on the important chores and make sure someone else helps you
with the urgent ones. You don’t have to answer every phone call or send out
every Christmas card yourself if you can get your family to help.

13. There’s No Time to Be a
Perfectionist

Christmas doesn’t need to be over the top. It’s who you spend the
festive season with that matters, rather than the where’s and the how’s.

You might be tempted to create the perfect decor or plan a day that’s
awesome and memorable to one-up your family from last year. But there’s no need
to add more stress to your life by trying to accomplish the impossible.

14. It’s Not Just a To-Do
List

Christmas is not just about ticking the errands off your list. It’s
also a great time to get acquainted with your spiritual side. Aside from all
the holiday chores, do something that will make you feel happy, alive, and
accomplished.

Volunteer at a homeless shelter or join a church choir. By doing
something that’s meaningful, you can get rid of a lot of holiday stress.

15. Stop to Smell the Roses!

The entire holiday season is one marathon of stress. From preparing a
huge Christmas dinner to endless gift shopping, it can feel like a never-ending
job.

Calming
your nerves is crucial to pulling off an event successfully. Invest in
bath oil, room spray or pillow spray with some soothing ayurvedic fragrances or
a simple lavender scent to help relieve some of the stress instantly.

16. Alternative Gifts

If you’re traveling, you don’t have to stash your bags full of gifts.
If you’re flying, increased airport security will mean more time-consuming
checks.

Besides, if your gifts put your bag over the weight limit, it’s also
going to be costly.

Consider shopping online with companies that can deliver the packages
directly to your destination. Alternatively, you can buy virtual gifts, such as
gift vouchers that can be used anywhere.

17. Stick With Tried and
Tested

If you’re preparing the Christmas dinner this year, stick to the
recipes you know and trust.

Unless you have plenty of time to allow for mistakes, Christmas is not
the time to take risks!

18. Delegate and Outsource

Don’t take it upon yourself to do everything. Focus on the important
tasks yourself and delegate the rest to your friends and family members.

For example, if you’re cooking the main course, you can ask your
guests to bring a bowl of vegetables or a dessert. If you’re set on doing it
all yourself, you can order pre-made dishes from your favorite shop or deli
beforehand.

19. Pack Wisely

If you’re traveling with your children or a big family, you’ll likely
have to carry a lot with you.

Keep an overnight bag separate from your main bag, stocked with
toiletries, sleepwear and anything you might need when you arrive.

20. Ready, (Jet) Set, Travel!

Going to Grandma’s for Christmas? Book your flight as soon as
possible. Need to drive cross country to see your parents? Rent a car as soon
as possible.

Booking early avoids seasonal price hikes. Turn up at least three
hours before any international flight and two hours before a domestic flight.

Get an Uber or ask someone to drive you to the airport rather than
taking your own car. Parking is the last thing you need to worry about before
traveling, and the costs add up quickly.

21. Take a Break!

Don’t be involved with the planning every day of the holiday. Keep one
day free to focus on something you enjoy – reading a book or just hanging out
with friends.

It gives you a chance to catch your breath before you start all over
again the next day.

22. Don’t Forget Your Daily
Routine

It’s easy to forget what life used to be like before the holiday
season. Don’t lose touch of your everyday self.

It’s important to maintain your routine even amidst all the planning
to keep yourself calm and centered. That means sticking to your gym routine or
getting your nails done if it makes you happy.

23. Be Prepared for the
Inevitable

Avoid known stress triggers and set your expectations realistically.

If you know an in-law is famous for bickering, brace yourself for it.
They are not going to change themselves suddenly over Christmas.

24. Manage Relationships

Sometimes family dinners can be described as ticking time bombs.
Especially during the holidays when everyone comes together and the novelty of
seeing each other again wears off.

Avoid subjects that might cause friction at the dining table. These
topics could range from politics to religion.

25. Games – Lots of Them!

One great way to keep your guests occupied is by arranging games
before or after meals. It could be board games or a family match of softball.

Having something to do is a great way to keep them entertained so you
don’t have to. Other games include Secret Santa and Chinese auctions where you
can steal other people’s presents.

26. Take a Walk…With Your Dog

If you have a pet, it’s best to tire them out before your guests
arrive. No one wants to be greeted by an overzealous barking dog.

Play with your dog or go for a walk. You can get away from all the
stress for a bit and it’s a win-win situation for both of you!

27. Or Just Take a Walk Alone

One of the best ways to combat stress is to exercise. Rather than
exercising cooped up inside your house, go outside and brave the cold, or hit
the gym.

It won’t take long to break a sweat – a 20-minute walk works wonders
for releasing endorphins.

28. Avoid Sugar-Filled Stress

We get it – Christmas is all about the treats. But if you’re prone to
anxiety or high blood sugar levels, it’s important to enjoy these seasonal
sweets responsibly.

We don’t mean cutting them out entirely. Sugar is important for
keeping your mood and energy levels up. But that doesn’t mean you have to eat
every single mince pie offered to you.

29. Too Much to Do, Too
Little Time

It’s quite normal if you want your home to look picture perfect before
your guests arrive. But remember, your house is not a showroom.

If anything takes more than 30 minutes to do, cross it off your list.
Don’t fall prey to holiday house fever!

Instead, focus on the main things you’re capable of doing quickly and
don’t sweat the small stuff.

30. Say no to the Unnecessary

This is the simplest way to manage your stress but it could also be
the hardest for anyone who is not accustomed to saying ‘no’ to people.

Keep your circle intimate and focus on creating memories with those
closest to you. You don’t have to throw a big bash or say yes to every single
event you’re invited to. Especially if you’re busy or you just don’t want to
go. What little precious holiday time you have, save it for your loved ones.

Final Thoughts

The holiday season can be magical. It’s the time of the year to be
jolly and bond with your family.

Don’t let the stress of creating a perfect Christmas make you forget
what’s important. Take the time to yourself when and where you need it, and
learn to say no to things every once in a while.

But most of all, have fun! We wish you a happy and stress-free festive
season!

BAUCE is a lifestyle site for self-made women. We create and curate content that helps ambitious women from multicultural backgrounds build their empires, achieve financial freedom, and look good while doing it. We’re not just a publication. Being a BAUCE is a lifestyle.